Game apparatus



June17,1941. E W, WiLU 2,245,844

GAME APPARATUS Filed Sept. 26, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

June 17, 1941 E, w, wlLLfe GAME APPARATUS Filed Sept. 26, 1940 5Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENTOR.

GAME APPARATUS Filed Sept. 26, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I INVENTOR. {r27 11Patented June 17, 1941 11 Claims.

This invention relates to a game apparatus in which a number of peoplemay take part.

An object of the invention is to provide a tablelike structure formed inits top portions with movable sections adapted to be actuated by anoperator to an inwardly inclined or tilted position, means likewisebeing provided for retaining an undetermined one of the movable sectionsin its normal horizontal position.

Another object is the provision in a game of this character, of simpleand efficient mechanisms for effecting the movements and resultsreferred to.

Another object is to provide a game of this kind in which the playersmay be supplied, before a. play, with suitable playing pieces adapted tobe placed on the movable sections above referred to, the inventionlikewise providing novel means for collecting and concentrating at onepoint the playing pieces utilized.

Another object is to provide, an apparatus of the nature described,means for facilitating the various mechanical movements involved so thatthe game may be played without delay or undue effort on the part of theoperator.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of the game apparatus of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side eleva-tional view of thesame.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view, partly in crosssection, on the line 4-4 of Fig.2.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectionalview on line -5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional of Fig. 2.

Fig. '7 is a cross-sectional view on line 1-1 of Fig. 3. r

Fig. 8 is a fragmental cross-sectional view oftwo adjacent trays formingpart of the apparatus.

9 is a detail view of the retaining arm forming part of the apparatusshown in position on its supporting shaft, the latter being shown incross-section. V

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view on line l0.lii of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 2, with parts omitted, showing themovable portions of the apparatus in lowered ordeposit position.

The apparatus may comprise a horizontal frame 15 which may be ofoctagonal outline and view on line 6-6 formed of peripheral members 16and radial members I1, said members providing generally triangularspaces therebetween, in each of which one of the trays to be laterdescribed, is positioned. The radial members H, as herein shown, areeach formed of two strips of wood laid side by side.

The octagonal frame it: may be supported by legs i8 mounted upon acruciform base l9. Auxiliary vertical supports 20 may likewise beprovided if desired.

Trays 2| are mounted in the triangular openings formed in the horizontalframe l5, as shown in Figs. 1, 5 and '7. The trays, as seen in Fig. 5,are preferably formed with an upstanding rear rim 22 and lateral rims23. The latter terminate short of the inner end of the tray and theinner ends of the trays, as seen especially in Fig. '7, are cut oil ortruncated and are overlapped by a central covering member 24, (Fig. 1);The outer ends of the trays are hingedly connected as at 25, (Fig. 5),to the peripheral frame members 16, which hinges form the onlyconnection of the trays to the frame so that the trays are adapted to beswung downwardly and inwardly of the frame in the playing of the game.In order to prevent the players fingers, or other objects from beingcaught between the frame members I6 and the rear rims 22 of the trays,the overlapping guard strips 23 (Fig. 5), may be attached to the uppersurface of the members It.

The trays are held in their normal horizontal position by means of anannular frame-like support 21 (Fig. 3), comprising a ring 28 whichextends beneath the trays. To the ring 28 oppositely disposed anglebrackets 29 are secured, as at 30, for supporting a cross-frame 3|attached as at 32 to said brackets.

The centerof the cross-frame 3| is apertured as at 33 for slidablyembracing a central hollow standard 34, (Fig. 3). A solid and rigidpositioning of this standard may be achieved by providing a basal sleeve35 within which the lower end of the standard 34 is firmly set andsupported, as upon an internal shoulder 36 formed in the sleeve 35; Thelower end of the said sleeve may be flanged as at 37 and secured to themembers IQ of the base. For further rigidifying the supporting sleeve35, a support shelf 38, closely embracing the sleeve 35 is provided. Theshelf member 38 is supported by brackets 39 secured as at 40 to theunder-side of said shelf and at ll to the base I9.

The tray support described as slidably mounted on the standard 34 isadapted to, be vertically actuated thereon by an operator, through themedium, as herein shown, of a leverage system. For this purpose theremay be provided a fulcrum rod 42 having its ends supported by a pair ofarms 43 attached to and projecting from two oppositely disposed legs I8.The fulcrum rod 42, as seen in Fig. 6, passes, adjacent its middle,through a T connection 44 and this in turn is supported by a horizontalbrace 45, attached by vertical connections 46, (Fig. 2), to the base IS.The brace 45 may be additionally strengthened by a depending support 41secured as at 48 to the under-side of the horizontal frame [5.

The fulcrum rod 42 has rotatably mounted thereon a fulcrum connection 49(Fig. 3), formed with angular extensions 58 and The lower extension 50has the inner end of a link 52 (Figs. 2 and 6) pivotally connectedtherewith as at 53. The opposite end of link 52 is pivotally connectedas at 54 with an upright lever 55 which, at its lower end, is hingedlyconnected with the base l9 as at 56, (Figs. 2 and 4) The lever 55, asseen in Figs. 1 and 2, projects through one of the radial members I1 ofthe frame I5 through a slot 51 formed in the latter, the lever, at apoint below the frame being preferably bent toward the center of theframe 15.

The extension 5| of the fulcrum member 49 has projecting therefrom astub shaft 58 (Figs. 3 and 6), to which is rigidly secured, by means ofa T connection 59, a bar 68, to each end of which a shoe member 6| issecured by use of a suitable connection 62. Shoe member 6| bearscontinuously against the lower surface of a U-shaped bracket 63, (Figs.2, 4, and 6), said brackets being secured, in depending relation, to across-beam 3| of the tray support.

When the lever 55 is pushed inwardly of the table, as seen in Fig. 2,the shoe members 6|, bearing against the U-brackets 63, carry the traysupport 21 upwardly whereby the trays are all held in horizontalposition, supported on the top edge of the ring member 28 of the traysupport. When the lever 55 is moved outwardly in the slot 51, the shoemembers 6| are actuated in a downward are by the leverage mechanismdescribed, and the tray support is thereby lowered, the trays at thistime being tilted downwardly and inwardly of the table as shown in Fig.11.

The vertical movement of the tray support may be guided and stabilizedby means of vertical rods 64 (Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5), fixed between thetop and bottom portions of the table and slidably embraced, in theirupper portions, by metal rings 65 secured to the top and bottom portionsof the tray support. A level terminal position for the tray support maybe assured by the use of a stop 66 secured on each of the rods 84 at thedesired height.

Up and down movement of the tray support may be facilitated by the useof counterweights. In Fig. 4 a cable 61 is shown, having one endattached to the tray support as at 68 and the other end, after passingover a pulley 69, connected with a counterweight 10, as at 1|. Thecounterweighting means may be provided at several points around thecircumference of the tray support, as desired.

In Fig. 1, means are shown for holding the lever 55 in its normal inwardposition. These means may comprise a stop block 12 hingedly connected,along its rear edge 13, to the radial member l1 in which the lever slot51 is formed. In its lowered position the stop block overhangs the slot51 and the inner end of the block is contacted by the lever 55 which isthereby prevented from movin outwardly in the slot 51. When the leverblock 12 is raised, the slot 51 is left clear for outward movement ofthe lever therein.

In the playing of the game involving the present apparatus, anundetermined one of the tray members, upon tilting of the trays, ismaintained in its horizontal position. Thus for example, the variousplayers, prior to the start of the game may each be supplied with anequal number of small discs or other playing pieces. Each player selectsthe tray upon which he places one of his playing pieces. Thereafter,when the trays are actuated, the player who has selected the tray whichremains horizontal is considered winner of that play, and receives backhis own playing piece and a certain number of additional piecescontributed either by the other players or by a selected one of themserving as banker in accordance with a system of odds which system, inits mechanical details will be later described.

For retaining an undetermined one of the tray members in horizontalposition, upon downward actuation of the tray support, there is providedin accordance with this invention, vertical shaft 14 (Fig. 3) projectingdownwardly into the central standard 34, and supported therein by meansof a stop 15 fixed to the shaft and resting, preferably, uponball-bearings at 16 supported in a cup member 11 secured within thehollow standard 34. A proper and non-frictional positioning of the shaft14 may likewise involve the use of a set of ball-bearings 18 suitablyassociated with the interior of the standard 34, adjacent the lower endthereof, and another set of ball-bearings 19 positioned within a hubdisposed on the top central surface of the frame [5.

The means for holding up an undetermined one of the trays in the playingof the game, may comprise a retaining arm 81 (Figs. 3, 7, 9, and 10)fixed in and projecting laterally from an annular block 82 looselyembracing the shaft 14, beneath the top portion of the table, andresting upon an annular centrally apertured disc 83. This latter, inturn, rests upon the top edge of the hollow standard 34. The block 82 isformed with an interior annular chamber 84 for accommodating a smallerannular block member 85 secured to the shaft 14 by a set screw 86. Thelarger block 82, (Fig. 9), is cut with a lateral segmental aperture 81into which projects a stub arm 88 projecting from and fixed in the smallblock 85. The purpose of this specific structure will be furtherexplained.

At the top of the central shaft 14 a fly-wheel 89 may be secured betweena stop 9| and a nut member 92 positioned on the threaded upper end ofshaft 14. The wheel serves as a suitable means for rotating the shaft 14and at the same time weights down the shaft to insure its smoothnon-vibratory motion. The fly-wheel 89 may be provided with projectinghandles 90 to be grasped in giving movement to the wheel.

It will be apparent that the tray-retaining arm 8| will be rotated withthe shaft 14 by virtue of the stub arm 88 which contacts one of the endsof the segmental opening 81 provided in the larger block 82. In order torender the position of the arm 8| beneath the table top entirelyundeterminable, the additional means shown and described in connectionwith Figs. 9 and 10, are provided. Thus, after the shaft 14 has stoppedrotating, the larger block 82, as the result of inertia, will rotate inthe opposite direction until the stub arm 88 reaches the opposite sideof a segmental opening ,8! and the retaining arm is similarly carriedaround.

Now, when the lever 55 is moved outwardly in its slot for lowering thetrays, the arm 81 will be disposed beneath one :of the trays andpreclude its being tilted downwardly.

In order to assure that the retaining arm will not come to rest betweenthe lateral edges of two adjacent trays; and thereby be renderedinoperative, the inherends ofthe bottoms of the trays may have securedthereto an extension strip 93, (Figs. 7 and 8), the ends of whichproject on both sides .of the associated tray. In addition, one end ofthis strip may have fixed thereto, as

seen especially in Fig. 8, a down-bent stop finger 9d, the outer andlowermost end of which is slightly above the annular path of therotating retaining arm 8!. If the latter should :stop just beneath thesaid outer end of the finger 94, the arm would be actuated toward thecenter of the associated tray. The opposite end of the extension strip93 'is of sufficient strength to hold up the tray should the retainingfinger '8! come to rest beneath said end.

As already stated, it is desirable to provide odds in the playing of thegame. For this purpose, as seen in Fig. 3, the top portions of the shaftit below the fly-wheel 89, may have mounted thereon a rotatable disc 95,preferably provided with ball-bearings 9E and resting upon a block 91fixed as at 98 to the shaft M. If desired, the disc 95 may beconstructed on the underside with an annular flange 99 loosely embracingthe block 9?.

Laterally projecting rods not, equal in number to the number of traysand. similarly spaced apart, are connected to the disc 95. For carryingout the idea that the trays constitute various kinds of pieces of pie,the outer ends of the rods Iilil may have pivotally connected therewiththe knives Hill bearing plates I92 upon which the odds are indicated asseen in Fig. 2. The disc 95 is adapted to be rotated at the same time asthe fly-wheel 89, and in fact, may automatically be carried around withthe shaft 14 as a result of frictionally contacting therewith. Theradial member ll of the table, in the pathway of the rotating knives,may each have connected thereto an upstanding lug H33, against which thelowor tips of the knives come into contact during rotation, for giving aclicking sound to add interest to the game, and likewise, when theknives come to rest adjacent the lugs 33 and gently bump thereagainst,to cause the knives to move back toward a position above the center ofthe trays. The knife stopping above the horizontally maintained tray,after a play, indicates the odds which the winner is to receive from theother players or from the banker.

The tray support may carry a fabric receptacle HM (Figs. 2', 3, and 4)into which the playing pieces are deposited when the trays are tilted.Receptacle N35 is apertured and the bottom thereof suitably inclined inthe vicinity of these apertures whereby the playing pieces are deliveredto an upper slide I positioned beneath the tray support and connectedwith the latter, at the upper end, as by a length of chain I06 (Fig. 3.)The slide Iil5 is centrally apertured to receive the basal sleeve 35 andthe forward or lower end of the slide rests upon a suitable supportmember Nil. The lower end of the slide empties into an auxiliary slideplate IQB, the upper end of which may be attached to the support sleeve,as at Hi9, and the lower end of which projects into a box 1 l0 suitablypositioned on the base 19 of the table. Obviously, the playing piecesreceived from the receptacle I64 on the tray support, pass downwardly ofthe slide I05, onto the slide of plate [58, and thence into the box H0.

Modifications will suggest themselves upon disclosure of the meansherein, but these. are believed to be comprised within the spirit andscope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A game apparatus comprising a horizontal frame, play elementshingedly mounted on the frame, means for simultaneouslymoving saidelements from normal horizontal positions to inwardly inclined positionsand return, and means holding up an undetermined one of said playelements while the remainder are lowered.

2. A game apparatus comprising a horizontal frame, radially disposedtrays associated with the frame and having their outer ends hingedlyconnected therewith, means for simultaneously moving the trays on theirhinged mountings from horizontal to inwardly inclined positions andreturn, and means for holding up an. undetermined one of said trayswhile the remaining trays are lowered.

3. A game apparatus comprising a horizontal frame, play elementshingedly mounted on the frame, means for simultaneously moving saidelements from normal horizontal positions to inward-1y inclinedpositions and return, and means adapted to be actuated prior to movementof the play elements for holding up an undetermined one of said elementswhile the remainder are lowered.

4. A game apparatus comprising a horizontal frame, play elementshingedly mounted on the frame, a support member associated with the playelements and normally holding the latter in horizontal receivingposition, means for moving the support member to effect simultaneousinclination of the play elements into deposit position and to returnsaid elements to horizontal position, and means adapted to be actuatedprior to tilting of the play elements for holding in horizontal positionan undetermined one of said elements while the remainder are tilted.

5. A game apparatus comprising a horizontal frame, a number of playelements hingedly mounted on the frame, means for simultaneously movingsaid elements from normal horizontal positions to inclined positions andback, and a freely movable retaining member associated with the playelements and. adapted to be actuated prior to movement of the playelements and to preclude movement of a previously undetermined one ofsaid play elements to inclined position, upon actuation of the remainingplay elements to such position.

6. A game apparatus comprising a horizontal frame, play elementshingedly mounted on the frame, a support member associated with the playelements and normally holding the latter in horizontal receivingposition, means for moving the support member to effect simultaneousinclination of the play elements into deposit position and to returnsaid elements to horizontal position, and a freely movable retaining member associated with the play elements and adapted, to be actuated priorto movement of the play elements and to preclude movement of apreviously undetermined one of said play elements to inclined positionupon actuation of the remaining play elements to such position.

7. A game apparatus comprising a horizontal frame and supports therefor,a number of relatively elongated trays radially disposed and havingtheir outer ends hingedly connected to the frame, a tray support mountedfor vertical slidable movement beneath the frame, means for actuatingthe tray support to effect hinged movement of the trays from normalhorizontal positions to inwardly-inclined deposit positions and return,and means adapted to be actuated prior to tilting of the trays forretaining in horizontal position an undetermined one of the trays Whilethe other trays are actuated to inclined position.

8. A game apparatus comprising a. horizontal frame and supportstherefor, a number of relatively elongated trays radially disposed andhaving their outer ends hingedly connected to the frame, a tray supportmounted for vertical slidable movement beneath the frame, means foractuating the tray support to effect hinged movement of the trays fromnormal horizontal positions to inwardly-inclined deposit positions andreturn, and a freely movable retaining member positioned beneath thetrays and adapted to be actuated prior to movement of the trays and topreclude tilting of an undetermined one of the trays when the othertrays are actuated to inclined position.

9. A game apparatus comprising a horizontal frame, radially disposedtrays associated with the frame and having their outer ends hingedlyconnected therewith, means for simultaneously moving the trays on theirhinged mountings from horizontal to inwardly inclined positions andreturn, means for holding up an undetermined one of said trays while theremaining trays are lowered, and means for receiving from the tiltedtrays articles deposited thereon while the trays are in horizontalposition.

10. A game apparatus comprising a horizontal frame, radially disposedtrays associated with the frame and having their outer ends hingedlyconnected therewith, means for simultaneously moving the trays on theirhinged mountings from horizontal to inwardly inclined positions andreturn, an arm radially mounted beneath the trays for free circularmovement and adapted to be actuated prior to movement of the trays toinclined position and to come to rest beneath an undetermined one ofsaid trays to preclude tilting thereof when the other trays are moved toinclined position.

11. A game apparatus comprising a horizontal frame and supportstherefor, a number of relatively elongated trays radially disposed andhaving their outer ends hingedly connected to the frame, a tray supportmounted for vertical slidable movement beneath the frame, a lever systemassociated with the tray support and adapted to be actuated adjacent theperiphery of said horizontal frame for effecting hinged movement of thetrays from normal horizontal positions to inwardly-inclined depositpositions and return, and means adapted to be actuated prior to tiltingof the trays for retaining in horizontal position an undertermined oneof the trays while the other trays are actuated to inclined position.

EDWARD W. WILLIG.

